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'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.' - author Jackie French

Saturday, 18 February 2017

Review: Summer Rain

Boldly colourful and beautifully written, Summer Rain brings Australian animals and Indigenous Art to little hands, in a way that toddlers will recognise and respond to.

First...the land wakes in the morning light.

In simple, concise language, Summer Rain weaves a narrative between land and animals. We see turtles crawl and lizards creep, then we watch as wind scatters dancing leaves.

The story skips across deserts, grasslands, rivers and sea, introducing the creatures and plants that call these places home.

The shining sun watches down on each illustration, moving across the page as the day passes. Illustrator, Balarinji, combines traditional Indigenous style artwork and symbols with bright and beautifully blended colours to show us the changing scenery of the land and the passing of the day.

It was the portrayal of the animals that so very captivated my two year old, and he delighted in recognising each animal and identifying the colour that it was painted.

On the last double page spread, the text of the entire story is recounted along side a translation in the Yanyuwa language of the Borroloola people. On the last page it is also noted that a portion of the sales goes to support Indigenous early literacy through the Indi Kindi program .

Summer Rain is a book that will encourage young children to foster an early interest and appreciation of Indigenous Australian Artwork, Australian Flora and Fauna, and the vastly different landscapes of this beautiful country.